HUNGRY FOR AMUSEMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1078, 16 September 1930, Page 10

HUNGRY FOR AMUSEMENT

New York’s Chinese are hungry for amusement. In an alien city- they aro limited in their search for it. But they are not bothered, because for most of them amusement means one thing gambling. According to Detective-Lieutenant Howard O’Leary, they “bet and bet, and then bet some more.” They will bet on practically any proposition in which there is an element of chance.

“One must remember,” said Lieutenant. O’Leary, “that the life of a Chinaman in New York is far from a bed of roses. He works hard, and receives little pay for his labour. He lias not a great deal of leisure time, but what time lie has hangs heavy on his hands. 1 believe that is tlio reason he is usually the most inveterate of gamblers.

“Why, they iiet on everything under the sun. I have known of games where more than 20,000 dollars was wagered on a cockroach race. I have known of a wealthy merchant betting 10,000 dollars on a. single iiorse. And, of course, they ail play the Chinese lot! cry. “We have raided games where we found a room full of Chinese, ail betting on the number of seeds in an orange. They will bet on whether a fly—an ordinary fly—will alight on the toe of the right, shoe or the left shoe of the bettors.” O’Leary described a famous 24-hour cockroach race, of which lio learned during his service in Chinatown. Large bets had been laid on the outcome of the contest. Two ordinary deal tables had been placed together. Two large cockroaches had been secured. The tables bad been placed end to end. A white chalk line had been drawn across the end table. The ’roaches were placed at the other end of the table. Amid frenzied yells tile insects were started on the course. Both ran about, halfway, and then turned about. More bets were placed. One of the ’roaches had been painted white to distinguish it from its opponent.. Neither crossed the white line. For hours the enraptured Chinese watched the sport. Finally the white ’roach crossed the line. Bets were paid, and another contest was proposed. According to O’Leary’s story, the race lastei a whole day. Large sums were wo i and lost. Tt was reported that a prosperous merchant, lost a restaurant, and another, almost penniless, gained a fortune.

Detective William Namiek, who has also had wide experience in Chinatown. tells of finding a group betting on the number /of seeds in an orange. We had a tip that a large game was operating on Pell Street. We went down there, ami found about 20 men in p. small room. There was no gambling apparatus of any kind in the room. Not. even a pack of cards was found. But we did find several oranges and tangerines, the skins carefully scored with a knife and divided into eights. Each section was designated by a Chinese character. None of the men would admit they had been gambling. We subsequently learned that the gang had been betting on tho number of pips contained in each section. Some t’me later I learned that this game had originated centuries ago among the coolies working along the Yangtse-Kiang River. It •ivas an old game to them, but new to us of the West.”